Physical and mechanical characteristics and chemical compatibility of aluminum nitride insulator coatings for fusion reactor applications

Abstract

The blanket system is one of the most important components in a fusion reactor because it has a major impact on both the economics and safety of fusion energy. The primary functions of the blanket in a deuterium/tritium-fueled fusion reactor are to convert the fusion energy into sensible heat and to breed tritium for the fuel cycle. The Blanket Comparison and Selection Study, conducted earlier, described the overall comparative performance of various concepts, including liquid metal, molten salt, water, and helium. Based on the requirements for an electrically insulating coating on the first-wall structural material to minimize the MHD pressure drop during the flow of liquid metal in a magnetic field, AlN was selected as a candidate coating material for the Li self-cooled blanket concept. This report discusses the results from an ongoing study of physical and mechanical characteristics and chemical compatibility of AlN electrical insulator coatings in a liquid Li environment. Details are presented on the AlN coating fabrication methods, and experimental data are reported for microstructures, chemistry of coatings, pretreatment of substrate, heat treatment of coatings, hardness data for coatings, coating/lithium interactions, and electrical resistance before and after exposure to lithium. Thermodynamic calculations are presented to establish regions of stability for AlN coatings in an Li environment as a function of O concentration and temperature, which can aid in-situ development of AlN coatings in Li.